Communication
HEY Email
Rethink your email.
What it is
HEY is an opinionated email service from the creators of Basecamp that aims to fix everything wrong with modern email. It replaces the traditional inbox with the 'Imbox'—a place for things that actually matter. With its unique 'Screening' feature, YOU decide who is allowed to email you. HEY blocks all spy trackers, protects your privacy, and offers innovative features like 'The Feed' for newsletters and 'The Paper Trail' for receipts. It's a premium, opinionated take on email for people who want to reclaim their focus and sanity.
Key features
The Screener
Thumbs up or down on every new sender before they ever enter your inbox.
The Feed
Read your newsletters like a social media feed instead of individual emails.
The Paper Trail
Keep all your receipts and confirmations in one quiet place out of the way.
Spy Tracker Blocking
Stops companies from knowing when or where you opened their emails.
Strengths and trade-offs
What works well
- Total Privacy: Automatically blocks all tracking pixels used by marketers.
- Screening: No more spam or unwanted emails ever—you approve every new sender.
- Aesthetic UI: A completely fresh, modern take on what an email app looks like.
- Productivity: Features like 'Reply Later' and 'Set Aside' keep your inbox clean.
Where it falls short
- Subscription Only: There is no free version of HEY; it is a premium service.
- No Folders: It uses a specific organization system that might be jarring at first.
- Locked Domain: Requires using an @hey.com address (unless you use the more expensive custom domain plan).
Who it is for
Privacy Seekers and Busy Professionals who hate email.
Pick it or skip it
Pick HEY Email if
- People who want email rebuilt around screening rather than folders
- Trying it properly: 30-day trial with no credit card
- Calendar users: HEY Calendar is included at no extra cost
Skip it if
- You want a free mailbox — HEY has no free tier at all, only a trial
- You need your own domain: that is HEY for Domains at $12 per user per month, billed MONTHLY only
- You want a short address; 2-character addresses are $999/year and 3-character $349/year
Our verdict
The most innovative and peaceful way to handle email in the 21st century.
Closest alternatives we track
Same category, ordered by verified starting price.
Frequently asked questions
- How much is a HEY subscription?
- HEY for You is $99 per year, billed annually only, with a 30-day free trial and no card required; it includes an @hey.com address, HEY Calendar, 100 GB of storage and a HEY World blog. HEY for Domains (your own domain, teams) is $12 per user per month, monthly billing only, with no free trial. HEY for Families covers up to 5 people for $179 per year. Short @hey.com addresses cost extra: $349 per year for 3 characters, $999 per year for 2.
- How much does HEY Email cost?
- HEY Email starts at $8.25/mo as a flat monthly price. We verified this against the vendor's pricing page; see "What we checked" below for the date.
- Does HEY Email have a free plan?
- No free plan is listed on the vendor's pricing page. HEY Email is sold as a paid subscription.
- Who is HEY Email best for?
- Privacy Seekers and Busy Professionals who hate email.
- What are the closest alternatives to HEY Email?
- In the same category we track Proton Mail, Shortwave and Superhuman. Each has its own review page with verified pricing, and the comparison links above show them side by side.
- What are the main drawbacks of HEY Email?
- The trade-offs we noted: Subscription Only: There is no free version of HEY; it is a premium service.; No Folders: It uses a specific organization system that might be jarring at first.; Locked Domain: Requires using an @hey.com address (unless you use the more expensive custom domain plan)..
- When should you not use HEY Email?
- Skip HEY Email if: You want a free mailbox — HEY has no free tier at all, only a trial; You need your own domain: that is HEY for Domains at $12 per user per month, billed MONTHLY only; You want a short address; 2-character addresses are $999/year and 3-character $349/year.
What we checked
- Public APIOffers a documented API you can build against.No
- Mobile appHas a native app for iOS or Android, not just a mobile website.Yes
- Open source / self-hostableSource is open and the tool can be run on your own infrastructure.No
- SSO (SAML)Supports SAML single sign-on on at least one plan.No
“Not checked” means exactly that — we have not verified it, and we do not guess.
Evidence and freshness
Status: Vendor pricing page verifiedReviewed: 2026-09-07
- HEY — Pricing ↗
Checked 2026-09-07 · Supports: HEY for You $99 per year for a @hey.com address, no free tier; 30-day trial with no credit card, HEY for Domains $12 per user per month, $10 for the first user, billed monthly only, HEY Calendar included with both plans, premium addresses: 2 characters $999/year, 3 characters $349/year
Limit: Vendor page was reviewed; this record is not a ToolCompare benchmark.
Compare HEY Email with alternatives
More Communication tools: see the full Communication category